ACCCA Members Speak!
2006 Membership Survey reveals who our members are, what they want, and trends our institutions should be planning for now.
“What will California do when 10 percent of all administrators retire soon? Fortunately, our survey revealed that about 24 percent of current administrators are seeking advancement. But what will we do about replacing them?”
The results are in from the 2006 ACCCA member survey, and reveal trends that community college administrators need to know as they plan for the future of their institutions. Those trends include the fact that more than half of those in the administrative ranks have less than 10 years of experience, and 10 percent of administrators plan to retire soon. Where will their replacements come from? Read on to learn more about who our members are, what they want, and how ACCCA is helping to meet the needs of members and their colleges now and in the future.
ACCCA Membership – Where Do You Rank?
While ACCCA started with a focus on CEOs, it has now evolved into an organization that provides opportunities and benefits for all California community college administrators, from CEOs and deans to directors and managers. This broader focus gives those pursuing career advancement opportunities to learn from senior-level administrators who can provide advice and a view from the top. CEOs, on the other hand, get the chance to network with colleagues as well as meet emerging leaders and potential new hires.
Survey respondents represented a broad spectrum of administrators:
- Deans (39%)
- Vice presidents (24%)
- CEOs (11%)
- Other (24%)
Many survey respondents said they would like to see ACCCA create more professional development opportunities designed specifically for mid-level managers, and not necessarily for those seeking career advancement. The ACCCA Board has committed to doing just, including the development of an “Admin 201” program for administrators in mid-career.
Rookie Ranks Grow
An interesting trend revealed in this year’s data is that the ranks of those with less administrative experience are growing. Roughly 52 percent of those surveyed have been in administration for less than 10 years, compared to 42 percent just last year. And the number of administrators with less than two years grew from just 4 percent last year to 6 percent this year. Meanwhile, 10 percent say they will retire within two years. That is down from the 13 percent who reported they were planning to retire last year, which means some of them have already followed through on those plans.
What will California do when 10 percent of all administrators retire soon? Fortunately, our survey revealed that about 24 percent of current administrators are seeking advancement. But what will we do about replacing them?? Read on to see what ACCCA’s doing to develop emerging leaders.
Professional Development Opportunities – Meeting Today’s Demand
ACCCA offers a full assortment of professional development opportunities to its members, from half-day workshops on specific topics to the three-day annual conference. The survey shows that this wide range of options is valued by ACCCA members. They reported that the annual conference, budget workshop and leadership best practices series continue to be beneficial, and offerings such as Admin 101 and the Mentor Program continue to rise in popularity as they serve the growing number of newer administrators.
ACCCA will continue to offer professional development and training programs in a variety of formats this year, including the one-day budget workshop in Sacramento in January, and the annual conference in San Francisco in February.
Through the survey, ACCCA members also revealed the most important legislative issues that need to be pursued in the upcoming year. According to members, the top five legislative issues, in the order they were ranked, are:
- Modification of the 50% law
- Improving retirement options for administrators
- Modifying regulations regarding the full-time faculty obligation
- Retreat rights for administrators
- Reimbursing Unfunded Mandate Costs
These survey results will help shape and guide the ACCCA legislative program for 2006-07 and set the agenda for ACCCA’s legislative advocacy. The ongoing issues will continue to be reported on by ACCCA’s legislative consultant through Under the Dome reports. Watch the Web site, ACCCA Reports and email notifications for timely updates and analysis.
Member Benefits – More than You Know
ACCCA member benefits extend beyond professional development opportunities and legislative advocacy.
Members continue to value the $150,000 professional liability supplemental insurance policy and the $10,000 life insurance policy provided to them free with their ACCCA membership.
However, there are many other benefits that members may not be aware come with being an ACCCA member. For example, did you know that as a member you get discounts on other types of insurance, a personal auto shopper service, and discounts on travel and entertainment? The survey indicated most members were not aware of these other benefits. ACCCA benefits are extensive, and ACCCA encourages all members to take advantage of what is already theirs!
The three best-kept benefit secrets:
- Mechanical breakdown insurance
- Dealer referral program
- Discounted cancer medical reimbursement insurance
We don’t want any of these member benefits to be “best-kept secrets,” so check out the ACCCA Web site today to find out all the benefits of membership. In addition, ACCCA continues to pursue new benefits to add to our stellar line up, including the possibility of increasing your professional liability insurance to $1 million. Watch the ACCCA newsletter and Web site closely for more information.
Get Involved in ACCCA!
According to this year’s survey, the typical ACCCA member regularly reads ACCCA Reports, attends conferences and workshops, and finds the legislative information provided by ACCCA very useful. The typical ACCCA member is also NOT actively involved in the organization, but 16 percent indicate they want to get more active. Does this sound like you? If so, there are lots of ways to get engaged! Join a commission, make a presentation or help plan the conference or a workshop. You can even pitch in to write articles for ACCCA Reports! For more information on how to get involved, go to the ACCCA Web site or email the director at director@accca.com. We are always looking for ways to get our members engaged!
